There are many ways you might be sabotaging your weight loss, and I gave you six ways in a previous post. A few of the ways were skipping meals, eating when you’re bored, and eating “low-fat” food. I said I would give you more ways in a later post, so here they are.

Rewarding Yourself with Junk Food

You know when you reach certain mini goals on your way to your bigger goal, you just want to celebrate? Of course, you should! You’re doing well, and it’s great when you set goals and achieve them. But when you reward a week of eating well with a weekend of junk food because you were “so good” during the week, you can really set yourself back. Think of other rewards that don’t involve food. It could be a nice pair of shoes you’ve had your eye on for a while, a manicure and/or pedicure or massage. Or do something you enjoy doing but never seem to have enough time to do. If you never make time for a relaxing bath, that could be a reward.

Hanging Out with Unsupportive People

Have you told your friends and family that you’re working on eating healthier food to improve your health and lose weight, yet they’re constantly pushing things like cake, fried food, cocktails, second helpings, and fast food on you? When you’re at a restaurant and you’re trying to make healthy choices, do they goad you into indulging in wings, oversized burgers with the works or egg you on to finish your meal when you planned to take half of it home for lunch the next day? Unfortunately, if those you hang out with are constantly trying to steer you away from your goals, you might have to spend less time with them if you are easily swayed by them. They are moving you away from rather than towards your goal. Who knows, they might realize you’re serious and stop pressuring you.

Not Setting Realistic Goals

When setting weight loss goals, it’s important to be realistic. If you set a timeframe that is too short to lose a lot of weight, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Conversely, you might resort to unhealthy methods to actually lose the weight in time. This also isn’t good for long-term weight loss since you can’t maintain a restrictive diet, and you could be susceptible to bingeing and yo-yo dieting. Think of it as a lifestyle change that requires time and patience. Don’t think of it as a “diet” because diets don’t work for long. Plan to lose weight in a healthy way, and set goals that are achievable in a reasonable amount of time. Weight loss varies, but think of losing one to two pounds per week.

Weighing Yourself Too Often

Resist the temptation to weigh yourself every day. You can get discouraged and it’s not really an accurate reflection of weight loss as your weight fluctuates even during the same day. Pick one day a week to weigh yourself first thing in the morning. It’s good to be consistent with the time of day and with what you’re wearing when you weigh yourself.

Also, other things should be taken into account other than just the number on the scale. For example, if you’re also doing resistance training, you could be gaining muscle but losing fat, but the number on the scale doesn’t tell you that. Pay attention to how your clothes are fitting and how you feel overall.

Do you see yourself in any of the above? If so, find rewards that have nothing to do with food, surround yourself with supportive people, make sure your goals are realistic, and resist the urge to step on the scale every day. Hide it in between weigh-ins if you have to!

Do you think you eat well a lot of the time but see little to no progress when it comes to weight loss? Are your days crammed with so much that what you eat is sometimes an afterthought? Unfortunately, you might be sabotaging your weight loss and not even know it. If you are doing any of the following six things, you might want to make some adjustments to your plan to keep your weight loss on track.

Low-Fat Food

When you’re at the grocery store, do you go for food that has “low-fat” or “zero fat” on the label? In order to make the food still taste good, manufacturers often add a lot of sugar. Fat doesn’t make you fat, sugar does. Foods such as eggs, coconut, and grass-fed meat are often looked at as being bad due to saturated fat, but they are healthy foods. We need omega-3 fats that are in foods such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, walnuts, and flax seeds, so by avoiding fat for fear of gaining weight, you’re sabotaging yourself.

Skipping Meals

Skipping meals to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight isn’t the way to go. Sometimes, you might skip meals due to time constraints, but it’s important to make time to eat. You want to start your day off right by eating breakfast, providing your body with protein, fat, and slow carbs to help you function properly. Skipping meals can cause your blood sugar levels to drop, which leads to fatigue and have you searching for something that is likely unhealthy to boost your energy.

Not Enough Water

When we get dehydrated by not drinking enough throughout the day, energy levels plummet, and we can mistake thirst for hunger. Next thing you know, we’re in the fridge or the cupboard or heading to a drive-thru for something to eat. Making sure you drink two to three litres of water every day can ensure you get needed hydration, and can help keep you from overeating.

Failing to Plan

Not having a plan to help you stay on track with healthy eating is asking for trouble. Plan to take a healthy lunch to work rather than eating out at a fast food restaurant, and bring healthy snacks with you so you’re not tempted to eat junk. Likewise, make a list when you go grocery shopping and schedule it after you eat, not when you’re hungry. If you go when your stomach is rumbling, you’re more likely to buy unhealthy food. I’m sure we’ve all been there at some point!

Eating When You’re Bored

When boredom sets in, that’s when you might find yourself looking for something to eat. I had a client who said she ate more when she was at work than when she was at home. At home she had more to do than she did while at work, so was constantly grazing at her desk. A good way to combat this if you’re prone to munching when you’re bored to tears is to stop and ask yourself if you’re really hungry. The answer more often than not will be “no.” Call a friend, read a book, go for a walk, or do something else that will get rid of your boredom. Pay attention to your body. It will tell you when you’re hungry.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Nuts provide us with antioxidants, healthy fats, fibre, and vitamins and minerals, but they are high in fat, so you can’t go crazy on them. Eating them mindlessly is never a good idea. Watch your portion size, and eat raw, unsalted nuts. A handful as a snack is good.

There are other ways you could be sabotaging your weight loss, but I’ll save those ways for another post. In the meantime, if you find you do any of the above, choose one to tackle in the coming week so you don’t hinder your weight loss.